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Kramer Versus Kramer

The series that looks at books, plays and stories and how they work. John Yorke unpicks the themes and impact of Avery Corman鈥檚 1977 bestselling novel Kramer Versus Kramer.

The novel Kramer Versus Kramer was published in the US in 1977 and was an instant bestseller. Its story of a marriage, a divorce and a fierce custody battle tapped into the highly charged debates of the time about changing sex roles, marriage and parenting. It was immediately optioned by Hollywood, and the film came out in 1979 starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

Attitudes to custody at the time - which were still rooted in the idea of a wife as a homemaker and carer - were at odds with the sweeping demands for change made by the women鈥檚 movement, and it鈥檚 this tension that lies at the heart of the story. John hears from Sue Moss, top New York divorce and custody attorney, about how the legal landscape has changed, and from dramatist Sarah Wooley about what drew her to the story.

John has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in 成人快手 Radio 4鈥檚 Sunday Drama series. As former Head of Channel Four Drama and Controller of 成人快手 Drama Production he has worked on some of the most popular shows in Britain - from EastEnders to The Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless. As creator of the 成人快手 Writers Academy he's trained a generation of screenwriters - now with over 70 green lights and thousands of hours of television to their names. He is the author of Into the Woods, the bestselling book on narrative, and he writes, teaches and consults on all forms of narrative, including many podcasts for Radio 4.

Contributors:
Sue Moss, partner at Chemtob Moss & Forman LLP, New York
Sarah Wooley, dramatist of 成人快手 Radio 4鈥檚 production of Kramer vs Kramer

Reader: Riley Neldam
Producers: Tolly Robinson, Sara Davies
Sound: Sean Kerwin
Production Hub Coordinator: Nina Semple
Executive Producer: Caroline Raphael

A Pier production for 成人快手 Radio 4

Available now

15 minutes

Last on

Sunday 14:45

Broadcast

  • Sunday 14:45

Podcast